Blue Ribbon Inspiration (a McRoll in the REAL World story)
by sammy1026
Summary: Catherine faces a problem with at work and finds inspiration for the solution from an unlikely place.


_Mari & Ilna- you guys are the absolute best. Thanks for EVERYTHING! There are no two people I'd rather be on this ride with._

 _Sandy-what would I do without you?_

 _REAL Worlders-I can never fully express what all your amazing support means to me. All I can say is that in our fourth calendar year your support and encouragement keeps me as enthusiastic as I was about this project day one._

 _This story contains a shout out to what remains my favorite tv show of all time even more than a decade after it went off the air._

* * *

 **Blue Ribbon Inspiration (1/1)**

Steve walked into the kitchen with Angie in his arms and found Catherine leaning on the island, staring at her phone, a scowl firmly in place.

"Still no luck getting Senator Kana on board?" he asked.

"No, he's still dodging my calls and ignoring my texts." She slid her phone into her purse and her mood changed immediately as she looked up at her husband and daughter. "How are my two favorite people this morning?" She smiled brightly.

"All fed and dressed and ready for the day," Steve reported.

Catherine kissed his cheek then tickled Angie's tummy. "That's what I like to hear. You and Daddy are gonna have a night to yourselves tonight while Mommy tries to avoid a total disaster at the Governor's Town Hall."

Steve winced sympathetically. "Don't you think total disaster might be a bit of an exaggeration?"

Catherine held up her thumb and forefinger about half an inch apart. "Maybe a little bit."

"You've accomplished plenty of things since Lea was sworn in. People see that." His tone was confident.

"Thanks. There are definitely quite a few things Lea can point to as major wins. It's just that ..." Catherine was proud of the work they'd done in their first ten months in office, but tonight's town hall had been planned specifically around the topic of education and with just a few hours left to go they'd been unable to nail down the bi-partisan support they needed to announce a major step forward for all of Hawaii's students. She sighed. "The schools that participated in the pilot project for our new in-school tutoring program all experienced a significant rise in student grades and we were really hoping to announce tonight that we were expanding it to fifty more schools immediately and, if the results remain positive, statewide by the start of the next school year."

Steve poured himself another half cup of coffee. "But Senator Kana is standing in the way."

"He's mulling over a run for governor in the next election cycle and he doesn't want to give Lea a win this big. Can you imagine?" Catherine huffed. "Working against something that could help students who are falling behind just to boost your own political chances?"

Steve shook his head then addressed the infant in his arms. "Some people in the government only think about themselves. That's why we need people like your mommy and Governor Lea. They spend their day slaying dragons to help the people who need it most."

Catherine grinned. "Slaying dragons?"

Steve's exaggerated nod and matching silly faces made Angie giggle. "Your mommy is a brave warrior, sweetheart. And everyone who lives on the island is better because of it."

Catherine couldn't help but be emboldened by Steve's confidence in her. She had no idea how she was going to fix this in the ten hours before the town hall began but she did know she was going to spend every minute of her day trying. She checked her watch. "I have to get going. You two have fun tonight." She kissed Angie, then Steve. "I'm gonna miss you. I'll get home as quick as I can."

* * *

"The most infuriating thing is that Senator Kana absolutely supports the program," Catherine growled as she, Lea, Marliyah, Tara and assorted other staffers sat in the governor's office brainstorming ways to move the tutoring initiative forward. "Two of the pilot schools in the program were his district."

"His legislative liaison told me the response from his constituents has been overwhelmingly positive," Marliyah said.

"There is literally no political downside to this for him aside from his being worried that I might get a little good press out of it." Lea slid a folder across her desk disgustedly.

"Unfortunately, he holds a lot of sway with the members of his caucus," Catherine pointed out. "They're all afraid to cross him. So, without his support there's no way we'll get the votes we need to expand. We have to figure out a way to get him on board."

Tara opened a folder resting on her lap. "I floated the idea that we might be willing to take another look at his logging proposal that's been stuck in committee for months but he didn't bite."

"That's because he doesn't really want that to pass," Catherine snorted. "He only proposed it because it's the pet project of one of his major donors. He knows it would cost him votes in any statewide election because the majority of Hawaiians are against it. He's happy to let it sit in committee forever while he blames other people for its failure."

"So he proposes bills he doesn't really want passed and blocks ones he's actually in favor of." Lea shook her head. "No wonder people have such a low opinion of politicians."

"Not all politicians. Your latest approval numbers are higher than any other governor in recent memory," Catherine reminded her boss. "That's his problem. He desperately wants to bring those numbers down so he can attract more donors to his as yet unannounced run for governor."

"Which is the worst kept secret in Hawaii," Tara chuckled.

"If only his support of our program was as widely known as his thirst to sit in this chair," Lea grumbled. "Maybe we should find a way to leak it."

"Not leak it … " Catherine's face lit up with excitement. "But there still may be a way to get the word out." She jumped up from her seat. "If you'll all please excuse me I have an idea."

"Care to share with the rest of us," Lea asked hopefully.

"Not until I check out a few things." Catherine headed for the door.

"We have three hours until the town hall starts," Lea called to her chief of staff's retreating back.

* * *

Catherine rushed into her own office suite, a woman on a mission. "Jen, I need twenty minutes with no interruptions then I need the entire speechwriting staff in my office please."

"You found a solution," Jen said, more as a statement than a question.

Catherine smiled. Her assistant has almost as much faith in her as her husband. "I think I might have." Her eyes flashed with excitement.

"Go work your magic," Jen replied excitedly. "I'll take care of everything else."

Catherine darted into her inner office then peeked her head back out the door. "Give me fifteen minutes with the writers then I'll need some time with Lea."

"You got it!"

* * *

Catherine's face lit up as she caught two very special people entering the auditorium where the town hall was being held out of the corner of her eye. She crossed to greet them immediately. "This is a surprise." She grinned as she kissed Steve then took Angie from his arms and hugged her. "What are you two doing here?"

"Angie said she wanted to come and see her Mommy in action." Steve placed his hand gently on his daughter's back. "And see her 'work friends' of course."

"Of course," Catherine chuckled. "They'll all be thrilled to see you," she cooed to Angie. "They missed you today. Though things were so crazy around there this afternoon you're lucky you were at home with Esther."

"You look like you're in a much better frame of mind than you were this morning," Steve noted. "Did you find a way to get Kana on board?"

Catherine's eyes sparkled. "We're about to find out."

The corners of Steve's mouth rose in a small smile. "What are you up to, Rollins?"

"Lea was saying she wished there was a way we could leak the fact that Senator Kana actually supports our program and it got me thinking … blue ribbon commission."

Steve's eyebrows furrowed. "Blue ribbon commission? I think I missed something."

"Do you remember how I binge watched all seven seasons of The West Wing while I was on maternity leave?" Catherine asked.

He nodded.

"That's where I got the idea," she admitted only slightly sheepishly. "President Bartlet's Blue Ribbon Commission." At Steve's confused look she explained, "Sometimes you just have to give people a little nudge to do the right thing."

"And Lea is about to nudge Senator Kana?" Steve guessed. "In front of all these people and the press."

"It does make it harder for him to say no," Catherine beamed.

They both turned their attention to Catherine's assistant Jen who had walked up beside them. "I'm sorry to interrupt but Tara needs you to okay the new press packet." Steve took Angie so Catherine could flip through the pages Jen handed her. "Also, the governor wants to see you for a few minutes before we begin."

"We'll let you get back to work." Steve kissed her quickly on the lips. "We're gonna watch the first few minutes to see the nudge but I doubt Angie will sit through the whole thing. We'll be waiting for you at home after. I'll make dinner."

Catherine smiled. "Perfect. I'm starved. I've been too busy to eat." She stroked Angie's cheek softly. "I'll be home as soon as I can."

Just as Steve and Angie found a seat near the back of the venue where they could easily slip out without being noticed Lea was introduced by the moderator and took the stage to raucous applause.

"Before we open the floor to questions I have a quick announcement to make. As many of you know our pilot tutoring program has been in place in fifteen schools throughout the state and the results have been dramatic."

The audience applauded wildly and Lea continued.

"I know that improving our education system for all students, regardless of their socio-economic status is a goal I share with all Hawaiians. This is a matter that transcends political parties or partisan bickering. The future of our children cannot be compromised for any reason."

More wild applause filled the arena.

"Here comes your Mommy's brilliant idea," Steve whispered to Angie. "Senator Kana isn't gonna know what hit him."

"I'm happy to announce tonight that I'm forming a bi-partisan commission to chart a path for expanding this program to fifty more schools by the first of the year and to make it a statewide initiative by the beginning of the next school year. And I can't think of a better person to co-chair that committee with me than Senator Frank Kana. A strong voice from the other side of the aisle that I know is just as committed to our children's future as I am."

The crowd rose to its feet for the first standing ovation of the night. The idea that the popular tutoring program was going to expand energized the room.

"Let him try to say no now," Catherine whispered quietly from her position just off stage.

"Ok then, let's open the floor up to questions," the moderator said as the crowd settled back into their seats.

 **THE END**

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